Cosmic Tales had a number of editors over the course of publication, but it was begun by James V. Taurasi in New York, U.S.A.

The first issue was released in the Summer of 1937, #2 in the Fall and #3 in November/December. The 4th issue appears in January/February 1938, #5 in March/April, #6 in September.

By this time Taurasi was editing several fanzines, and so he handed Cosmic Tales over to Louis Kuslan and his sister Gertrude Kuslan, and they released issue 7 in October/November of 1938. The 8th issue was also published by the Kuslans, and was released in December 1938 with a cover by Taurasi. They remain the editors for the next four issues. The 9th issue was released in March 1939. The 10th and 11th issues also appear in 1939.

A special issue, called Cosmic Tales Special appears in 1939; it is the "First World Science Fiction Convention Issue", and the cover announces that it is "Featuring Stories by Nils Frome, Cyril Kornbluth, and Percival Twinkletose", the last undoubtedly a joke.

Summer 1939 sees the appearance of Vol. No. 13. The last issue published by Louis and Gertrude Kuslan is Vol.2 No.1, the second anniversary issue of Cosmic Tales, released in Summer 1939, An announcement on the cover states that "henceforth it will be published by John Giunta". The cover is by Taurasi. Vol. 1 No. 2 is edited by Giunta as announced, and appears in 1940 with a cover by Giunta.

Another issue is not seen until the April-May-June issue of 1941, which finds James Taurasi the editor again, but now publishing in England. This issue included Fantasy and Science Fiction by H. P. Lovecraft and Sam Moskowitz, as well as contributions by John Giunta and Frank R. Paul. H. P. Lovecraft's "What The Moon Brings" had been given to Nils Helmer Frome for the 3rd issue of his zine Supramundane Stories but Frome decided not to publish a 3rd issue and gave the story to Taurasi for Cosmic Tales.

The next issue, which is Vol.2 No.4, appears in July 1941, Vol 2 No. 4, with a cover by John Giunta.

By the end of its five year run 18 issues of Cosmic Tales had been published, the last, Vol 2 No 5, in August 1941.